Compartment-box for checks of the like.



No. 707,325. v Patented Aug. 19, I902.

J. T. mks.-

CUMPARTMENT BOX FOR CHECKS OR THE LIKE.

(Applicatioli filed Mar. 76, 1902.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. HICKS, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

'COMPARTMENT-BOX FOR CHECKS OR THE LIKE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 707,325, dated August 19, 1902. Application filed March 6,1902. Serial No. 96,927. (NdmodeL) To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. HICKS, a citi zen of the United States of America, and a resident of Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Compartment-Boxes for Checks or the Like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the construction of a receptacle orbox intended to be used by a cashier or treasurer of a hotel, restaurant, or similar concern to receive sales-checks,thou gh I am not restricted to this particular use and reserve the, liberty of employing the compartment-receptacle for any purpose for which it may be adapted.

The invention consists in numerous improvements upon the cashiers file-box described and claimed in my Letters Patent No. 630,505, granted August 8, 1899; and my present object is tofaoilitate the construc tion' of-a box of this character, so that it may have the necessary transparent sides, the requisite locking devices, and an arrangement of parts such that if a glass plate is broken a new one maybe easily substituted therefor.

The invention consequently consists, essentially, in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts and in numerous details and peculiarities thereof, substantially as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my present improved compartment-box. Fig. 2 is apartial longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-section. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail partial view of one of the channeled rubber strips with which the trans parent plates are provided. Fig. 5 is an en-' larged detail view of the locking devices for securing the removable side of the box.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the different figures of the drawings.

1 denotes the base-board of my improved filing-box, being preferably of rectangular form and of some substantial thickness to enable it to serve as a firm solid support for the superstructure of the box. This superstructure is of a skeleton form, being adapted to support the transparent plates that form the sides, ends, and top of the box, as well as the partitions, whereby the latter is subdivided into compartments. On base 1, at the corners, are the front posts 2 2 and the rear posts2 2*, there being at the top of these posts a rectangular horizontal frame 3, that is firmly secured to them.

4 denotes a rectangular sheet of glass or other transparent substance, which is designed to form the front side of the box, the same being placed between the front posts 2 2'and between the base 1 and top-frame 3. Base 1 is provided near the front edge with a longitudinal groove 10, in which is a chauneled or grooved piece of rubber or similar elastic material 11, that receives the lower edge of the front transparent plate 4. The upper edge of plate 4 is provided with a similar grooved strip of rubber 12, the edges of whose flanges are preferably inclined at 13, as shown in Fig. 4.. The front bar of the frame 3 has a rabbet cut longitudinally therein at 14110 receive the cushioned upper edge of the front plate 4. One side 15 of rabbet 14 is vertical, while the other side 16 is horizontally inclined. This rabbet 14 is vertically opposite to the groove 10 in the base 1. When the plate 4 is beingput into position, its lower edge will first be introduced into the grooved rubber. 11, that lies in the groove 10, and then the upper edge will be moved into the rabbet 14, thus coming in contact with the inclined side 16 and being forced along said incline until it reaches a firm seat against the vertical side 15, the effect of so forcing or pressing the plate 4 against the inclined side 16 being to cause its lower edge toseat itself more firmly against thegrooved cushion 11,-as well as to cause the grooved upper. edge to have a much stronger and more immovable seating, than if the rabbet 14 were a strictly right-angled one.

a The grooved rubber 12, which I have just mentioned, is carried on the top edge of the front plate 4 and occupies a seat in the rabbet 14 and has its inner flange slotted at intervals with a short vertical slot 17, the design of which is to receive the front edge of the partitions 9, as I shall presently more fully explain. Furthermore, the outer front edge or flange of the grooved rubber 11, that occupies the base-groove 10, is slightly curved or projected outwardly at 18, so as to make a tighter joint between the glass and the base at that point.

A top plate 6 fits in a rabbet 19 on the under side of the four bars constituting the top frame 3, and all four edges of plate 6 are furnished with strips of grooved rubber 20,which enable an easy and convenient seating of plate 6 to be had in the rabbet 19. This plate 6 is of glass or other transparent material, and it is provided at intervals with orifices or perforations 21, through which, when necessary, a wire may be passed for the purpose of properly placing any of the contents of the several compartments that through any contingency may have become disarranged. At the ends of the box are glass panes or plates 5 5, of suitable size and shape to enable them to fit into rabbets in the posts 2 and 2, the under parts of the upper frame 3,and a groove in the base 1, the latter groove having the referencenumeral 22, and these glass plates 5 are conveniently provided on all four edges with strips of hard rubber grooved therein to fit the edges and likewise of proper shape to enable them to fit into the corresponding rabbets or grooves, as shown at 23.

The main box is subdivided into compartments 24 by means of glass partitions 9, the top and bottom edges of which are provided with strips of grooved rubber 26, the bottom edge, with its strip of hard rubber, occupying a position within the transverse groove 27 provided therefor. It will be noted that access is had to the several compartments 24 through the slots 28, open at the top of the box along the side of the frame 3, said several compartments being numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, &c., as shown, and being arranged to the end that the different checks may be introduced easily into the difierent compartments of the box in the manner and for the purpose fully explained in my other Letters Patent No. 630,505, hereinabove referred to.

One of the frame-posts 2 is provided with a slot 8. In this slot and suitable grooves in upper frame 3 and base 1 I arrange a sliding transparent rear plate 7, which can be drawn through the slot 8 a greater or less distance, as may be desired, in order to open one or more of the compartments 24 at the rear and permit access thereto. I do not find it necessary to provide the slide 7 with the grooved rubber strips; but in lieu of them I locate in the base-groove 30 a channeled metal piece 31, which receives the lower edge of the plate 7 and allows it to move therein. The end of the guideways 31, near the bottom of the vertical slot 8, is provided with a perforation 32, adapted to be engaged by the locking-shank 33 of the padlock 34, and when the padlock is thus engaged with the guideway it will form an effectual stop against the end of the slide 7 to prevent the latter from being with-.

drawn. By the use of this padlock, therefore, in conjunction with the guideway 31, the contents of the several compartments of my improved filing-box may be securely locked against any unauthorized entry.

By employing transparent plates for the sides of the box in the manner herein described and by fitting them with elastic edges and then positioning them in the manner explained I am enabled to promote the construction of the box in such a way that the various sides, partitions, &c., lock against and support each other and do away with the necessity of many of the securing devices commonly employed for connecting the parts of boxes together and also enable me to substitute a fresh plate for a broken one when required Without damaging the box-frame, for in assembling the various parts the plate 4, for example, may first be put into position, then the end plates 5, situated in the ends of the box, in which postion they will stand vertically against the corner-posts 2 2 with their front edges in contact with and sustaining the front plate 4. The top plate 6 can next be arranged in position, and then the several partitions can be arranged at proper intervals apart. They will be placed in contact with the front plate 4, with their upper edges against the top plate 6 and their lower edges in the grooves 27 in base 1, and when these plates are in a vertical'position they will eifectually uphold the top plate, it being remembered that their front upper corners will engage the slot 17 of the grooved rubber strip 12, which caps the top edge of the front plate 4.

In order to hold the end plates 5 in their vertical position, I find it convenient to employ a locking device consisting of a screw-eye 35, whose shank screws into the frame 3 just above the upper rubber 23, which occupies the top edge of plate 5, as shown in Fig. 2. When the eye of screw 35 lies horizontally, the plate 5 can easily be pressed into position in the rabbet and groove that receive it. When the eye is turned into the vertical position, as shown in dotted lines, it will lock plate 5, so that it cannot be dislodged from this position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a compartment-box, the combination with the base and skeleton frame thereon, of the front plate, the lower edge of which enters a grooved strip of rubber lying in a groove in the base while the upper edge engages a rabbet in the frame, and is provided with a grooved strip of rubber having a series of slots, said rabbet in the frame having an inclined face for making a tight joint, and a series of transparent partitions engaging the aforesaid slots in the rubber strip.

2. The combination with the grooved base, and the frame mounted thereon, of the front plate having strips of grooved rubber on the edges, the strip on its top edge having a series of slots, the top plate having strips of grooved rubber on the edges, the end plates likewise provided with strips of grooved rubber, and the glass partitions having strips of grooved rubber at top and bottom, said partitions enpartments, said partitions engaging the afore- 1o gaging the slots in the rubber strip on the front said slots in the rubber, and the removable plate. v slide.

3. The combination with the grooved base, Signed at Boston, Massachusetts, this 24th 5 and the skeleton frame thereon, of the top day of February, 1902.

end plates, the front plate having on its up- 7 JOHN T. HICKS. per edge a grooved strip of rubber provided Witnesses: Y with a series of'slots, the series of transparent GRACE FINNIss, partitions which subdivide the box into coin WINFIELD F. PRIME. 

